Binn Faha [Benagh]

About Binn Faha [Benagh]

Sitting on the eastern shoulder of the Brandon massif, this rugged Hewitt provides a truly alpine feel. It commands an incredible position overlooking the tiered Pater Noster lakes within the Faha corrie. The terrain here is sharp and rocky, offering a dramatic perspective on the Great Blasket Island and the Atlantic.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Binn Faha comes from the Irish Binn Fatha, meaning 'peak of the field'. While 'Binn' refers to its craggy summit, 'Fatha' (or Faiche) usually denotes a level green or field, likely referring to the flatter grazing lands at the base of the mountain near the start of the pilgrim path.
• •The peak is a key waypoint on the Faha Ridge, a dramatic arête that serves as the most spectacular approach to Mount Brandon. It requires careful navigation and steady nerves as the ground drops away sharply into the glacial amphitheatre to the south.
• •From the summit, you gain a perfectly framed view of the Maharees to the northeast. This is a thin, sandy spit of land dotted with small islands that separates Brandon Bay from Tralee Bay, looking almost Caribbean in bright weather despite the Atlantic swell.
• •The lakes nestled in the corrie directly below the peak are known as 'Pater Noster' lakes. This name comes from their resemblance to a string of rosary beads, as the five small tarns are linked together by a single descending stream.
• •Despite the name suggesting a 'level field', the only flat ground you are likely to find on this side of the mountain is at the bottom of a very long, very steep drop into the corrie.